Monday, October 24, 2005

the decisionI think I've been so focused on GRE minutia that I neglected to consider thebigger picture -- like what programs I would most enjoy, how I might fare in anacademic environment that sounds a bit cutthroat (rather than the cuddliness ofSPU), and whether I'm prepared for the dismal job prospects that I'd face afteryears of tough study (its supposably quite horrible; i have no stats, but various websites report that 1/20 English PhDs can find work as college professors -- that's scary!). Moreover, outside of work, I'm not much good at juggling bricks; that is, my 'to do' list is so long and unwieldy that I'm afraid I might crack under its weight (choose schools, craft personal statements, conjure up an amazing writing sample [that's thick with post-modern literary criticism, something i don't much understand], study for the literature GRE, etc, etc, etc).Soooo...I'm going to spend the next year sorting this out and pursuing my othervocational interest: editing. After all, I have 2+ years of technical editingexperience, and, in contrast to English professors, the employment rate foreditors is expected to parallel the national employment average rather than sit stagnantly below it (per the US Department of Labor). If I can find (and enjoy) a job working for a publishing company or an interesting magazine of some sort, perhaps I'll forego graduate school.